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18th Century Cottage in heart of Loire Valley

The Well House at La Haute Garde is a restored stone built cottage in the ground of a 17th century farmhouse surrounded by fields and trees but without being isolated. The outdoor partly roofed terrace overlooks the garden and its cypress trees. Lounging on the cushioned benches, you will enjoy a colourful display of lavender, geraniums, fig tree and the peace of a secluded garden surround by trees and fields.The house has a stone-built open fireplace for log fires,and a mezzanine balcony overlooking the sitting-room.The property has all the charm of a complex that has evolved gradually over several hundred years,and has secure off-road parking in the gated courtyard.
Anché is a rural village on the banks of the river Vienne which offers a riverside
picnic area. The town of Chinon is only 5 miles away with public swimming pools, tennis courts, bicycle hire, shops and many restaurants of good standing. The town is very picturesque with its medieval houses and imposing recently restored château. Most of the châteaux of the Loire Valley are within easy reach for day trips as is the famous Fontevraud abbey where the Plantagenet kings are buried including Richard The Lion Heart. Chinon is also renowned for its wine and the wineries to visit are plentiful.

18th Century Cottage in heart of Loire Valley

The Well House at La Haute Garde is a restored stone built cottage in the ground of a 17th century farmhouse surrounded by fields and trees but without being isolated. The outdoor partly roofed terrace overlooks the garden and its cypress trees. Lounging on the cushioned benches, you will enjoy a colourful display of lavender, geraniums, fig tree and the peace of a secluded garden surround by trees and fields.The house has a stone-built open fireplace for log fires,and a mezzanine balcony overlooking the sitting-room.The property has all the charm of a complex that has evolved gradually over several hundred years,and has secure off-road parking in the gated courtyard.
Anché is a rural village on the banks of the river Vienne which offers a riverside
picnic area. The town of Chinon is only 5 miles away with public swimming pools, tennis courts, bicycle hire, shops and many restaurants of good standing. The town is very picturesque with its medieval houses and imposing recently restored château. Most of the châteaux of the Loire Valley are within easy reach for day trips as is the famous Fontevraud abbey where the Plantagenet kings are buried including Richard The Lion Heart. Chinon is also renowned for its wine and the wineries to visit are plentiful.

18th Century Cottage in heart of Loire Valley

18th Century Cottage in heart of Loire Valley

The Well House at La Haute Garde is a restored stone built cottage in the ground of a 17th century farmhouse surrounded by fields and trees but without being isolated. The outdoor partly roofed terrace overlooks the garden and its cypress trees. Lounging on the cushioned benches, you will enjoy a colourful display of lavender, geraniums, fig tree and the peace of a secluded garden surround by trees and fields.The house has a stone-built open fireplace for log fires,and a mezzanine balcony overlooking the sitting-room.The property has all the charm of a complex that has evolved gradually over several hundred years,and has secure off-road parking in the gated courtyard.
Anché is a rural village on the banks of the river Vienne which offers a riverside
picnic area. The town of Chinon is only 5 miles away with public swimming pools, tennis courts, bicycle hire, shops and many restaurants of good standing. The town is very picturesque with its medieval houses and imposing recently restored château. Most of the châteaux of the Loire Valley are within easy reach for day trips as is the famous Fontevraud abbey where the Plantagenet kings are buried including Richard The Lion Heart. Chinon is also renowned for its wine and the wineries to visit are plentiful.

Overview

2 bedrooms + 1 bed on landing, 1 bathroom. Sleeps up to 6

The Well House at La Haute Garde is a restored stone built cottage in the ground of a 17th century farmhouse surrounded by fields and trees but without being isolated. The outdoor partly roofed terrace overlooks the garden and its cypress trees. Lounging on the cushioned benches, you will enjoy a colourful display of lavender, geraniums, fig tree and the peace of a secluded garden surround by trees and fields.The house has a stone-built open fireplace for log fires,and a mezzanine balcony overlooking the sitting-room.The property has all the charm of a complex that has evolved gradually over several hundred years,and has secure off-road parking in the gated courtyard.

Anché is a rural village on the banks of the river Vienne which offers a riverside

picnic area. The town of Chinon is only 5 miles away with public swimming pools, tennis courts, bicycle hire, shops and many restaurants of good standing. The town is very picturesque with its medieval houses and imposing recently restored château. Most of the châteaux of the Loire Valley are within easy reach for day trips as is the famous Fontevraud abbey where the Plantagenet kings are buried including Richard The Lion Heart. Chinon is also renowned for its wine and the wineries to visit are plentiful.

Peaceful rural haven

This is a delightful cottage with a working kitchen and spacious bedrooms as well as tastefully restored and decorated living accommodation. The garden is a beautiful spot and we ate most of our meals on the terrace and barbequed on the big and efficient Kettle Braai regularly.

There are lovely walks through wild flower meadows and the village and five kilometres away is Chinon as well as eighty chateaus to visit in the Loire valley. We did not manage them all but the town of Richelieu and Chateau L'Islet were particular favourites.

David the landlord became a good friend and he and my wife shared a birthday party in the garden where we made friends with neighbours and other expats who have made their home in this beautiful peaceful part of France.

We had four G internet and satellite television enabled us to keep up with Poldark and the dreadful daily saga of British and American politics.

Lovely, beautiful garden - covered table and seating area out the basck really makes the property!

The house and garden are lovely - especially the covered seating area outside. There is the bonus of satellite TV so we managed to get some olympics viewing in!

Anche is a perfect place to stay. It is very quiet and out of the way but close enough to Chinon that you get the best of both worlds. Close to kayak and bike hire which was great and lots of river swimming/great local swimming pool in Chinon available. Supermarkets are a short drive away. Loads of chateaux to visit.

The weather and scenery (fields upon fields packed with sunflowers!) were fantastic and we soaked up the warmth and enjoyed our frequent picnic lunches of baguettes, cheese and made the most of the many local wines with dinner.

David, the owner, is lovely and very helpful with lots of information. He lives next door to the property so is around for advice and help but only when needed and we felt he was the perfect host.

This was our first visit to the Loire Valley, but it definitely won't be our last!

Excellent cottage, location and host

My cousin and I stayed at the Well House for 7 nights. We both wish we could have stayed longer. The location of the house is ideal for discovering all the area has to offer. We enjoyed staying in the small village, the quiet and of course the wonderful terrace. The photos of the house and terrace do not do it justice. The house has been thoughtfully and lovingly restored. The kitchen is large and well equipped including a upscale new coffee maker and toaster. He's even thought to stock handy little things such as a cheese grater and scissors. The wonderful terrace opens off the kitchen. David even stocks candles to provide additional evening ambiance. We had been looking forward to catching up on the news with the English language TV channels, but we couldn't tear ourselves away from the glorious terrace.

The bathroom is large with lots of hot water. We really liked the washing machine. Finally, a French washer I could logically operate! While there is no dryer, there are several drying lines and lots of clothes pins (pegs) along the terrace. Clothes were dry in no time at all.

The two ample sized bedrooms accommodated us comfortably with plenty of hanging and drawer storage and lots of hangers. We both really appreciated the large bedside light fixtures so we could actually read in bed at night. Our only challenge as two older ladies, was navigating the stairs at night. But, we managed.

David, the owner, was there during our visit and could not have been a more hospitable host. He truly wants his guests to enjoy their stay. He has provided a great assortment of information on the area and is most willing to make additional suggestions. While he lives next door, he is available but not at all intrusive.

Peaceful stay in character cottage with great terrace!

The cottage is full of character in a quiet and peaceful setting and yet close to many places of interest. The best feature is the very spacious terrace, which has a generous covered area alongside an open south facing area. The pictures do not do justice to this excellent feature. The spacious and light kitchen opens onto the terrace which makes it ideal for outside eating, both morning and evening. The garden has matured considerably since the photos were taken.

The owner was in residence in the main house and was very friendly and helpful with any requests. The property was clean and tidy with a well provisioned kitchen. The water heater gave a strong over-bath shower. David had recently sorted out a wifi connection available from the main bedroom window. Our dog was also welcomed, with the garden above the terrace being sufficiently enclosed by fencing. The property description is representative but we would question the practicalities of more than four people staying with only the one bathroom with toilet. The mezzanine is attractive and good for additional storage but not for sleeping. The master bedroom had a comfortable bed. The beds in the second bedroom were rather soft and springy (two friends joined us for a few days).

There are many attractions in the area with the small and historic Chinon nearby. The nearest boulangerie is a five minute drive but well worth a daily early morning visit! This was our first visit to the Loire and we will definitely return again to this area. Apart from Chinon, we were really impressed by the gardens at Villandry. Excellent lunch at Le Puits Dore in the main square in nearby Richelieu but avoid the the mushrooms at Montsoreau!

In conclusion, we very much enjoyed our stay at the Well House. Many thanks for your hospitality, David.

So good, we've stayed there four years in a row!

We have stayed at the Well House four times, and had an amazing time, every time. We love the house, it's large, clean and beautifully furnished. Though it is the covered terrace and makes it a place to return to. The location is fantastic, for walks, Chateau visits (Rivau for children, Villandry for the gardens, Azay Le Rideau, and Chinon complete with dragon this year) vineyard bike rides, and river swims. We love the beaches at Chinon, Candes St.Martin and Pouzay.

Additional pricing information

Fees

No additional mandatory fees

A deposit of one hundred pounds per week or its equivalent in euros is payable at the time of making the reservation.The balance should be paid at least two weeks before the start of the letting period.No security deposit is required.

* Approximate monthly price. Actual pricing will depend on the days of the month you stay.

Owner's Cancellation Policy

Please ask the owner or check their rental agreement when booking the property.